In the current information age, information technology (IT) tools are extensively used in enterprises and other organizations in order to facilitate output, communication and processing of information, documents, data, etc. Indeed, it is now rare to find a workflow in an enterprise that does not employ IT tools. The number of IT assets [such as computers, printers, scanners, multi-function devices (MFDs), other output devices] is generally increasing and maintenance of such devices and assets can be a burden.
Conventionally, configuration settings were performed locally at a device, by manual manipulation of physical switches to change device settings and/or by setting by hand on an operation panel. Devices are increasingly designed to permit settings to be adjusted or updated via built-in web servers and in many instances configuration capabilities may be provided in an automated manner through a network connection. Further, device management tools are commonly employed to monitor, manage and configure output devices on a company's network, and may be used to verify that the configuration of a device has been set correctly, and not changed, and to confirm thereby that the device is secure, correctly configured and works consistently.
However, such web pages and automated configuration provisions, while enabling remote configuration, require the device to be connected to a network and reachable by an IP address. There are circumstances when such updates, maintenance or servicing cannot be performed through the network. This can be the case for devices not connected to networks, devices connected to private or secure network segments, or devices behind a local firewall. Additionally, a company that does not have the necessary infrastructure to run a device management tool, or that chooses not to use such tools, typically has no mechanism for easily configuring its devices.
In such circumstances, it may be necessary to send a service technician on-site to perform updates, maintenance or servicing which may include adjusting or updating device settings. In, for example, the case of output devices, the typical device is designed to have many structural parts and functional parts and to operate in an automated manner, and consequently it commonly has dozens, if not hundreds or even thousands of settings. While service technicians, through extensive experience, may start to appreciate such fact, it is rare for such a technician to remember all of the settings of any device, much less all of the devices that the technician may be tasked to service. Further, the conventional approach requires each setting to be set individually, risking human error.